Page 61 of Mafia Kings: Dario

And then I remembered what had happened before I’d met Filomena in the hallway.

I’d been in the kitchen…

Where I’d seen Cat and Valentino having sex in the pantry…

But before that, I had done something else.

Something I’d forgotten until now.

“There was a cell phone I looked at,” I said. “I searched for the nearest church on Google Maps and it told me which way to go.”

“Who gave you their phone?!” Niccolo raged, and I realized I might have doomed Caterina by trying to save my own skin.

“No one! It was just lying there when I snuck into the kitchen,” I said, trying to conceal Cat’s identity.

“What, a cell phone was justconvenientlysitting on the counter, unlocked and ready for you to use?”

“I think whoever it belonged to just stepped away for a moment. I saw the map, then I put it back where I found it. I swear it’s the truth.”

Niccolo glared at me. “I’ll be checking your story.”

I prayed that even if he questioned Caterina, Valentino would come to her aid.

“But in the meantime,” Niccolo continued, “you had better make amends with someone else.”

“…Dario,” I said guiltily.

Just then, someone knocked lightly on the door.

“Come in,” Niccolo barked.

A male servant came into the room. He carried a silver tray stacked with towels, bandages, tubes of ointment, and a bucket of ice.

“Give it to her and leave us,” Niccolo commanded.

The servant handed me the tray, which I took in confusion. “What am I supposed to do with this?”

“Go to Dario and tend to his hand… which he injured saving YOU,” Niccolo snapped.

My eyes grew wide. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea…”

“Oh, you don’t, do you? Then perhaps you should reconsider disobeying him and fleeing the property – oh, wait! Too late forthat!”Niccolo said mockingly. “Go to his private study on the third floor. Turn right at the top of the staircase, then it’s two doors on your left. Make peace with him,whateverthe price. Understood?”

I nodded… and wondered fearfully what that price might be.

As I was walking out, I stopped and turned back to Niccolo.

“Yes?” he asked testily.

“How did Dario know where I was?”

Niccolo looked at me like I was an idiot. “Are you forgetting your little temper tantrum last night? As soon as we discovered you were missing, we guessed you were headed for the nearest church. Thank god we were right.”

“But… why did Adriano and Massimo show up, too?”

“As backup, of course!” Niccolo yelled. “What, you think we let the head of the family run around without protecting him?”

I frowned. Dario had shown up first, by almost a minute. If someone had been lying in wait to hurt him, Adriano and Massimo would have arrived too late.

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